This is the accessible text file for CG speech number GAO-07-887CG
entitled 'Keeping America Great: Doing Your Part' which was released on
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Presentation by the Honorable David M. Walker:
Comptroller General of the United States:
Keeping America Great: Doing Your Part:
Commencement Address before the Kogod School of Business and the School
of Public Affairs:
American University:
Washington, D.C.
May 13, 2007:
United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO-07-887CG:
President Kerwin, distinguished members of the Board of Trustees and
faculty, graduates, parents, ladies and gentlemen. It's an honor to be
with you today. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to address you
and for awarding me an honorary degree. I'd also like to extend a warm
Mother's Day greeting to all the mothers here today, including my wife,
Mary, and my daughter, Carol.
First and foremost, congratulations to each and every graduate and to
your families on your significant accomplishment. Earning a college
degree is one of life's major milestones. And you're fortunate to be
graduating from "The American University."
I recognize the hard work and dedication your degrees represent.
Obviously, the degree that I just received is honorary, so yours cost a
lot more than mine did! Even so, I want you to know I also take great
pride in receiving a degree today.
Lately, I've been speaking out about our nation's future. So far this
year, I've appeared on a number of major radio and television programs
to talk about the growing fiscal challenge facing America. You may have
heard me on the Diane Rehm Show or perhaps you saw me on the CBS news
program 60 Minutes or on Comedy Central's Colbert Report. The facts
don't change during these appearances, but the means and messages do,
depending on the venue and target audience.
My agency, the Government Accountability Office, is in the truth and
transparency business. Or as Stephen Colbert would say, we're all about
"truthiness." As the so-called investigative arm of Congress, GAO is in
the oversight, insight, and foresight business. We "speak truth to
power," and we try to make government work better and for the benefit
of all Americans. By the way, I really appreciate all the graduates
wearing "GAO blue" colored robes for today's commencement!
In my view, it's important to state the facts and speak the truth to
the American people in connection with our fiscal situation and other
important public policy issues. Too many television and radio programs
today are essentially "fact-free zones," full of opinion, ideological
rhetoric, and partisan spin. In America, we believe in free speech. As
a result, everyone is entitled to his or her opinion but not his or her
own facts. The facts are neither blue nor red. In reality, facts are
colorless and should be transparent.
Today, I'm pleased and honored to spend a few minutes speaking to you
on the importance of keeping America great. I firmly believe that each
of us can play a part to help ensure that our individual and collective
future is better than our past. After all, our nation's future is what
you and I and our fellow citizens make of it.
From a personal perspective, while the Walker family has been in
America since the 1600s, to my knowledge, I'm only the second person in
my Walker line to have graduated from college. Before my father, most
of the Walkers were mineworkers, farmers, or ministers. In fact, at
least one of my ancestors was a Methodist minister and circuit rider.
As you know, the Methodist Church founded this university. Despite my
family's modest beginnings, I now have the good fortune of being the
seventh Comptroller General of the United States and head of the GAO.
Only in America!
In America, individuals with a good education, a positive attitude, a
strong work ethic, and solid moral and ethical values have virtually
unlimited potential! That means if you have a good education, your
future is largely in your hands. Your degree from American University
is a great start. The rest is up to you!
From a broader perspective, clearly America is a great country,
possibly the greatest in history. We've risen from one of many colonies
ruled by England to become the world's only current superpower. We're
the longest-standing republic on Earth and a beacon of liberty for the
rest of the world. Those Americans like myself who have traveled
extensively overseas know that while our country is far from perfect,
in general, we have it pretty good today. Yes, Americans have much to
be proud of and much to be thankful for.
America is number one in many things but not all things. As a result,
while Americans have a right to be proud, we should never be arrogant.
Unfortunately, the world has seen more than a little American arrogance
of late, both domestically and internationally. That must change. After
all, whether we're talking about safeguarding public health, protecting
the environment, or combating international terrorism, the United
States can't go it alone. We're going to have to partner for progress
on these and other types of issues, which have no geopolitical
boundaries.
Let there be no doubt, America's true strength is its people. America
is a very diverse nation, and our diversity is a great asset--an asset
we have yet to fully capitalize on. Despite our diversity, we Americans
are united by our belief in equal opportunity. Through perseverance and
hard work, any of us can achieve a better life. Our love of freedom is
equaled only by our devotion to faith and family.
While America is a great nation, we face a range of large and growing
sustainability challenges that too few policymakers are taking
seriously. In so many areas--fiscal policy, foreign policy, health
care, education, energy, the environment, immigration, and Iraq--we're
on an unsustainable path. I'll briefly touch on three of these areas to
prove my point.
First, since America's most valuable asset is its people, I'll start
with education. The United States now has the best higher education
system in the world. All of you are the beneficiaries of that system.
Unfortunately, we're not even in the top 20 nations in math and science
scores at the high-school level. This represents a huge problem in a
knowledge-based economy. If our country expects to maintain its
standard of living, we're going to have to stay competitive on measures
like innovation, productivity, and product quality. Fixing our K-12
education system will require radical reform and concerted efforts by
all levels of government and all sectors of our economy. We must move
beyond rhetoric and start delivering real results for a broader
spectrum of the American population.
Second, our nation's fiscal outlook. While short-term federal deficits
are coming down, we face large and growing longer-range deficits and
debt burdens due primarily to the retirement of the baby boom
generation and rising health care costs. The retirement of the boomers
will begin next year, and when boomers begin to retire en masse it will
bring a tsunami of spending that could swamp our ship of state.
To help save our future, we must impose tough budget controls, reform
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and reprioritize and constrain
other spending. We also need to engage in comprehensive tax reform that
will not undercut our economic growth or competitive advantage while
raising additional revenues. We must do all of these things, and the
sooner the better because time is working against us and our debt clock
is ticking.
Finally, while many of you graduates think that Social Security won't
be around when you retire, you're wrong. It will be reformed, and
hopefully sooner rather than later. Our real problem is Medicare and
health care in general. Our health care system is badly broken. We're
now number one in the world in health care spending and obesity--facts
that don't bode well for our wallets or our waistlines. Despite
spending huge amounts on medical care, the United States has above
average infant mortality, below average life expectancy, and much
higher than average medical error rates for an industrialized nation.
We also have the largest percentage of uninsured individuals of any
major nation. It's pretty clear we're not getting very good value for
our health care dollars. Frankly, if there's one thing that could
bankrupt America, it's health care costs.
Comprehensive health care reform will probably need to occur in
installments over a number of years. Our goals should be fourfold:
First, provide universal access to basic and essential health care.
Second, impose limits on federal spending for health care. Third,
implement national medical practice standards to improve quality,
control costs, and reduce litigation risks while avoiding heroic
measures. And finally, take steps to ensure that all Americans assume
more personal responsibility and accountability for their own health
and wellness.
You may be saying, why is he telling me about these challenges? All I
want to do is take off this cap, get my diploma, and party on! My point
is that these challenges, along with several others, are going to
profoundly affect your future and the future of your families. One
thing is clear: Young people will pay the price and bear the burden if
others fail to act to address our mounting fiscal burden and other
sustainability challenges. More importantly, I'm talking about these
challenges because you and your peers represent the future leaders of
our country! As a result, you are our greatest hope for bringing about
change.
Unfortunately, many institutions and individuals in America today
suffer from several afflictions. Myopia, tunnel vision, and self-
centeredness just to name three. Too many people are focused on the
word "me" rather than the word "we." Too many people are focused on
what they want today rather than what they need to do to help ensure a
better future. And too many people are focused on their own narrow
interests rather than the greater good.
Ignorance, apathy, and arrogance can be fatal when it comes to a nation
and its people. The Roman Republic provided us with some important
lessons in this regard over 1,500 years ago.
Let us not forget, the Roman Republic fell for many reasons, but three
seem to resonate today. First, a decline in moral values and political
civility at home. Second, an overconfident and overextended military in
foreign lands. Third, fiscal irresponsibility by the central
government. Sound familiar? We must learn from history and make sure
that we are the first republic to stand the test of time.
In our constitutional democracy, it's "we the people" who are
ultimately responsible and accountable for what does or does not happen
in the capitals around our country. As a result, all of us must be
informed and involved in order to make a difference. We must not
forget, God put each of us on this earth to serve our fellow man and to
make a difference for others.
As you look to the future, each of you needs to search your head and
your heart to decide not only what you're going to do in life, but also
what difference you are going to make in the lives of others. This is
one of life's most important decisions.
When you search your head and heart in your pursuit of happiness, don't
forget your communities, your country, and your fellow man. To help
build a better future, I ask that each of you dedicate at least two
years of your life to serving others. This request applies to all of
you, whether you are an American or from one of the many other
countries represented here today.
When you consider your public service options, remember that the U.S.
government is the largest, the most diverse, and arguably the most
important entity on the face of the earth. We need top talent in the
federal government to successfully address our many sustainability
challenges. Yes, the federal government needs men and women with skills
in public affairs, business, and other fields from top universities
like American University.
I also ask that each of you become more informed about the issues
facing our nation and more involved in demanding change. It's time we
held current and prospective elected officials accountable for
upholding their fiduciary and stewardship responsibilities to our
country and its citizens.
In closing, every person can make a difference in this world. As one of
my favorite Presidents, Teddy Roosevelt, said, "Fighting for the right
[cause] is the noblest sport the world affords." All of you should find
your cause in life and fight to make a difference. I'll continue to try
and do my part. All that I ask is that you do your best to do your part
to keep America great. We can, we must, and, with your help, we will do
what it takes to keep America great!
Congratulations again on your graduation. May God bless each of you,
American University, and the United States of America.
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Room 7149, Washington, D.C. 20548:
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